VietNamNet Bridge – Police and airline investigations into the theft of tens of thousands of litres of aviation fuel are making little progress in working out how the theft was done or where the stolen fuel came from.

Jetstar Pacific Airlines General Director Le Hong Ha

The arrested fuel thieves have confessed to stealing between 600 and 900 litres of jet fuel a day in an opration police believe had been going on for two years.

But Jetstar Pacific Airlines General Director Le Hong Ha said, "We still don’t know how they can steal so much jet fuel. There is a criminal police investigation into the case.”

Police said the gang included three drivers from Jetstar Pacific, who are alleged to have stolen the fuel during refueling procedures.

Fuel thieves arrested

But Ha said the airline was unable to determine how the fuel was stolen, suggesting the only source was residue fuel, but that amounted to only 20 litres to at most a few hundred litres a day.

Ha said police had made no further arrests in the case, and the airline was cooperating fully.

Jetstar Pacific Airlines’ leaders have put drivers under the management of ground crew at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

“We’ve tightened controls over divisions with the help of foreign experts," Ha said. "We already had a standard working process, but I’m not sure rules were strictly complied with as we cannot check everyone all the time."

Stolen fuel cans hidden in wooden containers

Ha said the airline was already tightening controls over its operations before the arrests.

Police believe the fuel gang was operating for at least two years and the stolen fuel was mixed with diesel and sold in and around HCM City.

The stolen fuel was allegedly siphoned off into 30-litre cans and transported from the airport to a warehouse owned by Tran Van Suu in District 7.

Vietnam Airlines holds a 30% stake in Jetstar Pacific and the rest is owned by Australia's Qantas.

DTiNews